A Cup of Java
by Mother of Dragonborns
Summary: Musings of Princess Usagi as she gets a cup of coffee.


Her daily ritual consisted of bundling her distinguished long pink hair underneath a knit cap and done a pair of dark sunglasses to disguise her pink eyes. Normal college students gathered together to enjoy the last of the crisp autumn weather before winter forced them all indoors during their free time. When she first began to study at Tokyo University, Princess Usagi Small Lady Serenity had tried to join in with her fellow cohorts and make friends. The problems that followed made it so that the princess had to have a security detail follow her from class to class and wait outside the room during her lectures.

The bustle of humanity and promises of fun and friendship was all around the princess, but she could not interact. ChibiUsa, or rather Usa as she now insisted on being called was lonely. She longed to turn to the first person she saw and say, "Hi, I'm Chiba Usa. Let's get some coffee and get to know each other. If you hate me, that's fine. If you found me moderately interesting, we can get coffee again." In order to gain some sort of satisfaction, she moved towards one of the many coffee shops that were scattered about campus.

The coffee shop was a small alcove right off of a hallway. There were a few tables filled with students and their laptops and the warm inviting smell of coffee filled the air. While waiting in line, Usa just stared at her phone, pretending wearing sunglasses indoors was perfectly normative behavior. When it was finally her turn, Usa ordered the specialty drink of the month and quickly slid the yen over to the barista. "Keep the change." she said before joining the other patrons waiting on their order.

Interactions always had to be brief otherwise, she risked others knowing who she was. As always, her security detail stood several hundred yards away from her. By now, he was like a piece of furniture to Usa. You noticed that there was a table in the room, but you weren't particularly bothered by the presence of the table. Nor did you particularly care because it was just a table.

Once her order was called out, Usa flashed a smile at the barista who did not even spare her a second glance. Fingers wrapped around the warm cup, allowing its warmth to warm her cool hands since she had been too lazy to dig gloves out of her backpack. Taking a sip, the Usa quickly recoiled and felt the heat of the beverage scald her tongue. A quick nod at her bodyguard assured him that she was fine as she headed down the corridor to the plaza.

Outdoors once more, Usa clung to the beverage as if were a suitable replacement to gloves. As she walked, scanning for an open bench, Usa hovered over her drink, blowing on it to ensure her second sip of the beverage would be much cooler than her first.

The only bench that looked somewhat free was occupied by a white haired man who was bent over a textbook with his backpack at his feet. The bench across from that was also somewhat free, which allowed her bodyguard to sit down and attempt to blend in instead of looming over her.

Not bothering to ask for permission, Usa quickly sat on the bench and ignored the cool gaze from the man whose space she was only mildly invading. "Was someone else supposed to be sitting here?" Usa asked without looking at the man.

"No, I suppose not." Came the man's reply as he turned the page in his textbook.

Determined not to be scared away by the man's obvious annoyance, Usa made herself at home by setting her coffee on the bench next to her. She then placed the backpack on her lap as she rummaged through it. First, she pulled out her gloves and slipped them on her hands. Looking through her bag while wearing gloves was awkward, but Usa managed. First, she pulled out her planner and set it next to her. She sensed the man glancing over and more than likely scowling distastefully at her Hello Kitty planner, but she ignored it. Hello Kitty was an icon that survived since the twentieth century and was as adorable as ever.

Usa knew that she had a philosophy reading to do, but Usa didn't like philosophy, so she settled for her Sociology of Sex and Gender textbook. Taking the class produced some very strange stares and whispers from her fellow classmates, but Usa imagined her fellow classmates were taking the class for the same reason she was: their inner twelve year old demanded it.

Placing the textbook besides her, Usa began to zip her backpack up when she heard a rueful sigh from the man next to her before he began to pack up his belongings. Usa look over just in time to see that when he picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder, it knocked over her coffee. She was quick enough to grab her textbook, but her planner was ruined.

"Hey!" She cried out to the white haired man's retreating back. "You spilled my coffee!"

The man turned around and Usa felt all the muscles in her body tighten as a familiar pair of violet eyes looked at her. His eyes were not as cold as she remembered, but they held the same arrogance that Usa knew all too well. Willing herself to breathe, Usa whipped off her sunglasses and stared challenging at him.

Demande did not seem to recognize the Princess of Earth, He only shrugged his shoulders. "Oops."

He had to misjudge the anger for being upset and quickly put a hand in his coat pocket and pulled out a wallet. "I know what it's like being a broke undergrad." He said, handing Usa a couple hundred yen. Usa did not know what else to do but dumbly accept the money "To replace the coffee and your Hello Kitty planner." He explained before once more, walking away. This time, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving Usa dumbfounded.

Her mind slowly began to process the events that just happened: She just sat next to Prince Demande. Prince Demande spilled her coffee and then gave her money for a replacement. Prince Demande was also a student here! How is this not a security risk!?

Her clouded mind then began to clear. There was no longer a Prince Demande, but just Demande. By going back in time, she had helped change the future. Her parents then could make sure the Black Moon Family never had a reason to rebel. Since there was no reason to form a rebellion, the Black Moon Family was just average people, going about their lives like she was. Demande, just like her, was trying to get an education.

Although she never would, Usa pondered what would happen if she saw Demande next and she asked him to get some coffee with her.


End file.
